This competing renewal application proposes continuation of the UCSF-Kaiser Department of Research (DOR) Bridging Interdisciplinary Research Careers in Women's Health (BIRCWH) K-12 Program. The program's aims are to: 1. recruit a superb and diverse group of early career Women's Health researchers; 2. provide them fiscal and individually-tailored training and mentoring; 3. build upon our existing program by broadening it to specifically target important Women's Health topics that are understudied; 4. strengthen and integrate models of multidisciplinary research and develop researchers who foster linkages across disciplines and institutions;and 5. to promote the prominence of and resources allocated to Women's Health research by mentoring BIRCWH Scholars and alumni in academic process and leadership. The program is multidisciplinary, including scholars and faculty mentors from each of the UCSF schools and Kaiser-DOR. It emphasizes novel interdisciplinary approaches to a wide range of Women's Health issues. The program will continue its strong initiatives in Women's Cancer, bone disease and menopause. New foci draw upon the unique strengths of UCSF and Kaiser-DOR and include Occupational and Environmental Health;Addiction, Violence and Traumatic Stress;Aging and Dementia;Autoimmunity;Metabolism and Obesity;Maternal Health and Child Outcomes and Muscular and Skeletal Health. A multidisciplinary Advisor Committee oversees the program in partnership with leadership, including selection of new BIRCWH scholars. The program emphasizes multidisciplinary mentoring teams that cross disciplines and research methodologies. The diversity of scholars, in terms of fields of interest, background, training, ethnicity and gender is a priority. A special emphasis for this renewal is placed on the cultural and ethnic diversity of scholars and affiliated faculty. BIRCWH scholars participate in program-specific seminars, assessments of progress and mentoring activities. In addition, the program integrates in UCSF CTSI career development and training programs. The career development path for each scholar is tailored to the specific types of experience and mentoring that will most effectively support her or his transition to an independent clinical scientist. This renewal features a new emphasis on leadership development that will assess the academic progress of BIRCWH alumni and facilitate leadership training for those who qualify. The program overall will continue to be a unique resource for the continuation and expansion of Women's Health Science in the San Francisco Bay Area. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: The UCSF-Kaiser Department of Research (DOR) Bridging Interdisciplinary Research Careers in Women's Health (BIRCWH) Program provides career development mentoring and training of scholars as an independent Women's Health scientists, broadens the range of Women's Health research, and supports the development of academic leaders in Women's Health.